Paddle



March 6, 1951 s. asTuCKr-:Y 2,543,879

PADDLE Filed Feb. `27, 1948 Patented Mar. 6, 12951:

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFC Samuel G. Smokey, ilrfiarliningt'0i1, Mo., assigner to ljranklin J. Essner, St. Louis, Mo.

Application ebrliaiy 27, 1948, Serial No. 11,640

11i Claims.

The present invention i'elates generally to improvements in the construction of paddles of the type used in canoeing and similar sports.

More particularly, the invention relates to a novel canoe paddle constructed .of plastic vmaterial, preferably, but not necessarily, tra-nsparent.

As will appear, the use of *a transparent plastic material, in the manufacture of a paddle according to the teachings oi the present invention, provides many features and advantages not found in paddles heretofore. rihe present paddle is not only lighter and more substantial than those constructed of wood or metal, but, in addition, it may be provided with means whereby it is visible in darkness.. This safety fea-ture is very important, since it is dangerous to losea paddle while canoeing at night. Should the present paddle slip out oi the hands of the user, or accidentally fall out of the canoe, it will float and simu'ltaaieously 'indicate itslocation in the darkness.

The primary object of the invention', therefore, `is to produce a Aplastic paddle which is light in weight,- which is reinforced in a novel .manner to give it greater strength, `which will float, .and which includes phosphorescent features.

A further object is to provide a method for producing the paddle of the present invention.

`Other obiects and advantages will 4be noted in the description hereinafter, reference being had also to the accompanying drawing. 'The' dra-wing illustrates the invention in the Y'form of a canoe paddle, and the description to follow will `benin-- ited thereto. However, it is' understood that, for eifample, the' invention is likewise pertinent .to the construction of an oar.

In the said drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view oi a paddle incorporating the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale, .indicated by the line 3 3V of Fig. :2, an intermediate portion of the view being brokenaway;

Figs. 4, 5 and G are transverse sectional views on .an enlarged scale, taken on lines ft-, ,5V-)5, and -S in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged end View .ofthe paddle;

Aand

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view through thelcnob portion er the paddle. 'one View being indicated by line '@3 in Fig. 7.-'

The paddle is composed of two identical halves or sections, permanently united, as will appear. For descriptive purposes hereinafter, one of these 2 halves will be considered the upper section, and it is generally indicated by the reference numeral I2. The other half will be considered the lower section, and .it Vis generally indicated by the reference numeral I4.

When bonded together, these two sections pro- Aduce the composite paddle, generally designated in Figs. l, 2 and '7 by the numeral I6. VIt includes a blade portion I8, Which merges into .a cylindrical .stem or shank portion 2i), the latter terminating in a knob or handle portion 22.

The internal construction of each section may be seen by reference to Fig. 3. There it appears that each section is provided centrally thereof with a longitudinal upstanding reinforcing rib 2li, which merges at its ends into a peripheral edge or rim portion 26.

A plurality of branch ribs 28 extend from the central rib and merge into the rim portion, as shown. Each branch rib is provided more or less centrally thereof with a semi-circular groove or depression 3l), for a purpose to appear.

A semi-.circular depression or groove 32 is also provided in the longitudinal rib 2li at the knob end thereof. Communicating with the groove 32, is a seniieciroular depression or groove 34 formed in the peripheral rim 26. This groove has asiigm taper, for a reason `to appear.

As particularly shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the face portions of the center rib, the branch ribs and the rim are Aall 4ilush se that, when the two sections are joined, lthe grooves 35, 32 and 34, respectively, form circular openings 3%, 3l and 38. It is also apparent that, when the two sections are bonded together, a plurality of hollow air spaces or vinternal pockets 40 are formed interiorly throughout the length of the paddle.

It is here noted that the reinforcing ribs, in

- addition to strengthening the blade, may also be variously designed from an yornamental VStandpoint, particularly when the plastic material employed is transparent. It should also be noted that the peripheral rim about the blade portion .of the paddle is considerably wider than the width of the ribs', or the rim portion of the stem and knob. This provision is made to .compensate 'for Wear, since the peripheral edge' of the blade, in continued use, vhas a tendency to deteriorate more vquickly .than `the remaining portions of the paddle. y

The branch ribs 23,in addition .to supporting the wall of the blade, also' strengthenthe' rim portion.

The' upper and lower .sections are bondedtogether by means of cement such as is produced 3 by adding benzol peroxide to the liquid plastic Selectron 5003 sold by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company or by adding castolite catalyst to the castolite liquid plastic sold by the Castolite Company. The cement is indicated by stippling in Fig. 3. Should it be desired to produce a paddle having phosphorescent qualities, the cement employed is mixed with a predetermined quantity of a phosphorescent pigment such as the type sold by the Castolite Company, and the paddle is constructed of transparent plastic material such as Selectron 5003 sold by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company or the plastic material sold by the Castolite Company. Obviously, the phosphorescent cement mixture may be employed throughout, or it may be limited to the blade portion of the paddle.

The method followed to produce the paddle will now be described. Assuming that the upper and lower sections have been molded so as to provide counterparts, the bonding cement is applied to the face portions of the ribs and the rim, and the upper section is then superimposed on the lower section in perfect peripheral alignment. Theinterior of the hollow shell thus produced is then evacuated by any suitable means through the tapered opening 38, the latter formed by the grooves 34 as explained. This operation is diagrammatically indicated by the arrows A in Fig. 3, and is performed before the cement hardens. The suction applied has the effect of more firmly and evenly drawing the parts together while the cement is hardening.

After the cement has hardened, air under pressure is introduced into the interior of the paddle through opening 38 by any suitable means, and thereafter the opening 38 is sealed by means of a suitable plug 42, as shown particularly in Fig. 8. Preferably, the plug is composed of plastic material which is identical with that of the paddle. In liquid state, it is forced into the tapered opening 38 against the pressure within the shell, and held until it hardens.

As a result of this arrangement, an additional reinforcing agent, in the form of air, is provided to brace the thin outer shell of the paddle. The tapered contour of the opening 38 prevents the hardened plug from being displaced.

plastic material permanently bonded together to form a hollow shell including blade, shank, and knob portions, reinforcing means for the shell interiorly thereof, a plurality of air pockets formed thereby, means whereby said pockets may be rst evacuated and thereafter charged with air under pressure, and a plug for permanently sealing said air within said shell.

3. A paddle comprising two similar sections of plastic material permanently bonded together to form a hollow shell including blade, shankl and knob portions, reinforcing ribs for the shell interiorly thereof, a plurality of air pockets formed by said ribs, means whereby said pockets may be first evacuated and thereafter charged with air under pressure, and means for sealing said air within said shell.

From the foregoing, it should be manifest that a paddle constructed in accordance with the present invention may be modified in numerous ways without departing from the principles thereof. For example, the paddle may be constructed by using plastic materials of Various colors.

Again, the upper section may be of one color, r

knob portions, reinforcing means for the shellv interiorly thereof, a plurality of air pockets formed thereby, means whereby said pockets may be iirst evacuated and thereafter charged with air under pressure, and means for sealing said air within said shell.

2. A paddle comprising two similar sections of 4. A paddle comprising two similar sections of plastic material permanently bonded together by cement to form a, hollow shell including blade, shank, and knob portions, a central longitudinal and a plurality of branch reinforcing ribs for the shell interiorly thereof, a plurality of air pockets formed by said ribs, an aperture in each rib and an aperture in said knob portion for evacuating said pockets and thereafter introducing a charge of compressed air thereinto, and means for closing said last named aperture to seal said charge Within the shell.

5. In a paddle construction comprising a pair of counterpart sections of plastic material bonded together to form a hollow shell including blade, shank, and knob portions, a charge of compressed air in the shell, and means sealing said charge within said shell comprising a, tapered aperture formed in said knob portion, and a plastic plug member insertable into said aperture.

6. The paddle construction of claim 4 in which the plastic material is transparent, and the cement is mixed with a predetermined quantity of phosphorescent pigment.

'7. The paddle construction of claim 4 in which the plastic material is transparent, and the cement in the region of the blade portion is mixed with a predetermined quantity of phosphorescent pigment.

8. A paddle comprising two identical sections each including a blade portion merging into a shank portion with the latter terminating in a handle portion, a rim extending around the entire periphery of the section, said rim being wider in the blade portion than in the shank and handle portions, a central upstanding rib extending longitudinally of the section and merging at its ends into said peripheral rim, a semicircular aperture in said rib adjacent one end thereof, a plurality of branch ribs each extending from the central rib and merging into said peripheral rim to reinforce the blade portion, and a semi-circular aperture in each branch rib, so that when thesections-are permanently bonded to form a unitary structure, said ribs dene a plurality of pockets within the structure and said semi-circular apertures form circular passages to provide fluid communication between adjacent pockets.

9. A paddle comprising two identical sections each of which includes a blade portion merging into a shank portion with the latter terminating in a handle portion, a rim extending around the entire periphery of the section, said rim being Wider in the blade portion than in the shank and handle portions, a central upstanding rib extending longitudinally of the section and merging at its ends into said peripheral rim, a semicircular aperture in said rib adjacent one end thereof, a semi-circular tapered opening in said rim in communication with said aperture, a plurality of branch ribs each extending from the central rib and merging into said peripheral rim to reinforce the blade portion, and a semi-circular aperturein each branch rib, so that when the sections are permanently bonded to form a unitary structure, said ribs dene a plurality of pockets within the structure and said semi-circular apertures form circular passages to provide tluid communication between adjacent pockets, and said tapered openings form a circular passage whereby said pockets may be rst evacuated and thereafter charged with air under pressure.

10. The method of producing a paddle of the character described which comprises applying cement to the face portions of the peripheral rim and reinforcing ribs of a pair of similar plastic sections, superimposing one section upon the other with said cement coated face portions in contact and the sections in perfect peripheral alignment, evacuating the thus formed hollow shell by applying suction from an external source through an aperture provided in said shell, maintaining the suction effective until the cement hardens, thereafter introducing a charge of compressed air into the shell through said aperture, and thereupon plugging said aperture to permanently seal they charge within the shell.

11. The method according to claim wherein said cement has been mixed with a predetermined quantity of phosphorescent pigment.

12. A paddle comprising two concave sections each including a blade portion merging into a shank portion with the latter terminating in a handle portion; a rim extending around the periphery of each section; a central upstanding rib extending longitudinally of each section and merging at its'ends into said peripheral rim; and a plurality of branch ribs in the blade portion of each section extending from the central rib` and merging into the peripheral rim; said sections when joined together at the'rims forming a hollow paddle containing a plurality of chambers, said chambers containing openings for the egress and ingress of air.

.13.. The method of making a paddle of the type described which comprises applying cement to the face'portions of the peripheral rims of a pair of concave members; superimposing one member upon the other with the cement-coated face portions-in Contact; evacuating some of the air from the thus formed chamber; and maintaining the vacuum until the cement hardens.

14.f The method of making a paddle of the type described which comprises applying cement to the face 'portions of the peripheral rims of a pair of concave members; superimposing one member upon the other with the cement-coated face portions in contact; evacuating some of the air from the thus formed chamber; maintaining the vacuum until the cement hardens; .introducing air into the chamber at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure; and sealing said air Within the chamber.

4SAMUEL G. STUCKEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date .531,872 Shibe Jan. 1, 1895 588,220 Davis Aug. 17, 1897 684,868 Robison Oct. 22, 1901 1,160,023 White NOV. 9, 1915 1,740,560 Andrews Dec. 24, 1929 2,306,939 Ferris Dec. 29, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,290 Great Britain of 1910 10,632 Great Britain of 1893 14,951 Great Britain Aug. 4, 1894 192,276 Great Britain Feb. 1, 1923 790,895 France Sept. 16, 1935 

